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H. P. H. BROMWELL 

[ Charcoal sketch by his daughter, from life, 1889. ] 




THE 


TWO 


PROCESSIONS 


A POEM 
By 

HENRY P. H. BROMWELL. 

(1823-1903) 


> > \ 
9 9 

*• « > 


Copyright, 1918, 

By 

HENRIETTA E. BROMWELL. 
Fifty Copies Printed. Denver, Colorado. 








u>V 


MAY’ 24 1918 


©GLA497524 

"H-D | 


4»J- ‘ 


THE 


TW O PROCESSIONS 


I 


I walked (in the night) by the river and hill 

When waning moon shadows were thrown; 

No sound could I hear but the lone whippoorwill. 

The sad Wononaissa who wailed on the hill. 

And the moaning of waves, and the wind’s plaintive trill. 
Till I came to a statue of stone. 


And alone by the statue I stood in the gloom. 

Till the bell of the midnight tolled slow; 

And the darkness grew dread as the night of the tomb, 

And the waves hushed their sound in the river’s dark flume. 
And the night wind ceased wailing its burden of doom. 

To the willows that wept as in woe. 



2 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


And the red bearded stars thro'the palsying air. 
Glowered dimly, as lamps through a pall: 

Half averted, the moon, as in sackcloth of hair. 
Worshipped veiled in the East, as a Druid at prayer. 
And the voices of night held their breath everywhere. 
And silence came deathlike on all. 


And no more could I see than the statue, which towered. 
Superb and gigantic, on high; 

My vision was swallowed, my heart overpowered. 

And full on my soul a great fearfulness lowered. 

While a vision of wonder went by. 


No statue of stone, but a chieftain was there, 

With wonderful majesty crowned; 

His form as a god’s, and his vestments as fair 
As the robes of the morn, and the locks of his hair 
Unhelmed, floated free, and a branch he did bear, 
With lily and myrtle enwound; 

His scabbardless sword as the Northlight did glare. 
And lighted the tremulous ground. 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


3 


1 knew him, the chieftain, whose fame in all climes 
Humanity’s angels record; 

Columbia’s hero, the son of her prime. 

First in peace and in war, and whose soul thro’ all time 
Walks first in the grand march of spirits sublime, 

The chief of the olive and sword. 


And thrice in a circle, the blade that he bore. 

He waved as a magical wand; 

And the clouds as a curtain, rolled off from before. 
And a nebulous lustre around me, and o’er 
Thro’ the infinite spaces of ether did pour. 

And shimmered thro’ ocean and land. 


And I stood as it seemed, on a cloud that did swim, 

Till the universe ’round me did grow 
To a measureless cavern, all doleful and dim, 

With blood sodden floor, and walls oozy and grim, 

And the roof thro’ the blackness did show 
But death-heads all grouped where the stars should have been 
Which with sockets all eyeless, and demon-like grin. 

Did leer on the desert below. 


4 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


And venomous reptiles and dragons did crawl 
In puddles of gore on the ground. 

And lizards and centipedes ran on the wall, 

And dragon birds hideous, swooped over all. 

On bat wings enormous, whose flappings let fall 
Black poisonous drippings around. 


And away thro’ the spaces that seemed without bound. 
Did numberless multitudes throng. 

Whose aspect infernal all souls would astound. 

In ghastly procession that serpent-like wound 
With horrible clamor, whose jargon of sound 
Clanged ever more doleful along. 


And foremost, as chief of the measureless train. 

Came the Demon of War on his car; 

Of blood’s purple clots was its horrible stain. 

And its parts were all wrought of fresh bones of the slain. 
And the creak of its wheels was the death cry of pain. 
Which cut on the heart strings from far. 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


5 


By hyenas unleashed, without bridle or rein. 

All gnashing and whining for prey. 

Was the devil-wrought chariot drawn o’er the plain. 
And the snapping of scourges, and clanking of chains. 
And dungeon groans stifled, and shrieks of insane, 

All mingled their clang on the way — 

And with creaking of gibbets in dissonant strain. 

And famine’s death rattle in horrid refrain. 

And rumbling of earth upon coffin lid plain, 

A hell march around it did play, 


And hissing and leering, the multiform heads 
Of the Demon, kept time to the sound; 

His mouths spitting venom his dragon wings spread. 

Red talons disclosed clutching death gasping heads. 

And his hands tore the quick flesh of infants in shreds. 
For the vultures that circled around. 


And blood dripping banners, all sooty, displayed 
Devices of Hell which they bore; 

And torches blue flamed thro’ the limitless shade. 
Which the scene’s moving horrors more ghastly arrayed. 
And the eyes of all monsters glared red as they played. 
Above, and around, and before. 


6 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


And followed the engines the Demon doth wield; 

Old catapults, cleavers and spears. 

And chariots scythed, to mow flesh on the field. 

And batt’ring rams pond’rous, and arrowheads steeled, 

All dragged by scourged captives with gashes unhealed , 
And slaves shedding blistering tears, 


And bombard and petard and bayonet went by. 

And mortars with black gaping throats; 

All hot with the death fires which blazed to the sky. 

And smoke thick and vitrous rolled trembling on high. 
And war shout and death shriek made fearful reply 
To the hoarse whizzing missiles that smote. 

And drums deaf’ning rolled and the trumpets’ shrill cry 
Cut sharp thro’ the dissonant notes. 


And over torn vineyards and harvest fields sown 
With ashes of homesteads they go; 

O’er fields black with ruin, and hamlets o’er thrown, 
O’er treasures of centuries wasted and strown, 
Where outcasts in wretchedness grovel and groan 
To the corpse tainted breezes that blow. 


TIIS TWO PROCESSIONS. 


7 


And famine and pestilence, ghastly and dire. 

Walked past with their loathsomest train- 

Gaunt wretches escaped from the tongues of the fire 
Which hissed in the storehouse and danced on the spire; 

Pale mother, and maiden, and tottering sire- 

And fever worn victims thro’ blood trampled mire. 
Crawled shrinking, mid festering slain. 


And followed a train from their graves that arose. 

Each bearing his coffin along; 

Thro’ leagues thrice a hundred their multitude goes. 
Nor ends yet the line which all measureless grows. 
And cn to a field wide extended which shows 
Open graves by ten thousands, in parallel rows 
Marches slowly the skeleton throng. 


And these are the number who sepultures found 
At the hands of their friends or their foes; 

Their wounds trickle blood drops, as ghastly around 
They wheel rank by rank to the grave caverned ground. 
Where each in his winding sheet rests on his mound 
To wait the long pantomime’s close. 


8 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


And after them comes the long line of the dead. 

Who lacked the sad boon of a grave; 

Unceasing the host with monotonous tread, 

Goes on to the darkness that deepens ahead. 

And their bones creak and rattle, and dull thro’ each head, 
The wind hums a funeral stave. 


And far as the vision can pierce thro’ the shade. 
But ruins and horrors appear; 

The rubbish of temples in solitude laid. 

Of cities, the glory of kingdoms decayed; 

The wond’rous creations of art, overlaid 
With sands of the wilderness drear. 


There saw I the fragments of Nineveh’s prime. 

And Babylon’s wonders of old; 

Of holy Jerusalem, Karnac sublime. 

And thousands, the boast of each kingdom and clime. 
In forest and morass, mid lichen and slime. 

Lie crumbling with ashes and mould. 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


9 


There saw I the glories of Athens expire. 
And Roman magnificence fall; 

The volumes of Ptolemy shi’ivelling in fire, 
fhe gems of the masters of pencil and lyre. 
Lie mildewed in rottenness all. 


The scrolls of the god-like in poesy’s corps. 

The rolls of the prophet and sage; 

The treasures of science, the infinite store. 

Of the heroes of thought in all ages of yore; 

The law-giver’s time honored page; 

With pandects’ and institutes’ costliest lore. 

With their slaughtered protectors down trampled in gore, 
Neath the footsteps of barbarous rage. 

There, shadowed in smoke of their altars and fields. 

Lay sepulchred nations around; 

And despots who dragon toothed scepters did wield 
Above, as they weltered, did march iron heeled. 

If any once more from the charnel pit reeled. 

To stamp them again to the ground. 


10 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


And nations whose banners in triumph did wave 
Were marching 1 in haughtiness by; 

There Poland and Hungary, forth from their graves. 
Their dead arms in signal did dolefully wave. 

In warning to those who drew nigh. 


And that widening Necropolis wofully spread 
Thro’ a valley more dismal than all; 

And down to its precincts infernal there led 
The path which all war loving nations must tread. 
Each bearing its shroud, going down to the dead. 
Its banner a shroud and a pall. 

Its banner once glorious, that covered its head. 
And trails in the dust of its fall. 


And fast as each sinks to its blood defiled tomb. 

All Hell to its innermost cave 
Seems opening its spaces of foulness and fume. 

As moved at their coming, to greet them in doom. 
And on to the threshold its hordes from their gloom 
In orgie most horrible rave; 

And forth on the path that ascends to their tomb, 

A hell dance to lead on their grave. 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS 


11 


I I 


Then around me the measureless cavern did grow. 
To a nebulous luster once more. 

Which all thro’ the infinite ether did flow. 

And the pageant infernal dissolved in its glow. 
Yet soon did it fade from around me, and lo! 

I stood by the chief as before. 


And thrice did he wave as a magical wand. 

The branch of the olive he bore; 

And the universe ’round me did wond’rously stand 
A measureless temple, unspeakably grand. 

And to emerald and pearl grew the ocean and land. 
Which spread as a bright tesselled floor. 


12 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


Of crystal its walls, and of adamant bright 
Its wonderful pillars did rise; 

And the dome of fair lazulite rose on the sight. 

As an azure spread ocean of infinite hight. 

And faces of angels that glowed with delight, 

All grouped as the stars of the skies 
In multitudes countless did look from the hight. 

And smile on the region below in the light 
Which shone from their marvelous eyes. 

And hues of the morn, and of evening serene. 
Flowed over the crystal around. 

And high thro’ the pillars did mingle their sheen. 

In curtains all glorious, which floated between. 

And tinted the luminous ground, 

And the sun as a lamp in the Orient was hung. 

With his planets as pendants around; 

And the moon as a censer all redolent swung 
In the West, and its odors of Eden were flung. 
Where the archways of beryl and amethyst sprung, 

And the latches of gold were unbound,- 

And the chrysolite doors when they open were flung. 
With music of viols and dulcimers rung. 

As their hinges of topaz went round. 



* l 1 


t' 

** «*> 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


13 


And away thro’ the space that did seem without bound, 
Did numberless multitudes throng. 

Whose aspect sublime would all mortals astound. 

In stately procession that solemnly wound, 

With garland and banner and song; 

With music whose melodies swelling in sound. 

Rolled ever more joyous along. 

And Queen of the pageant, all smiling and calm. 

Came the Angel of Peace on her car,- 

Its hues gave the semblance of cherub and palm 
And its cushions were woven of myrtle and balm; 

And the sound of its wheels the full chord of a psalm. 
Which swelled through the heart from afar. 

And by Prophets and Priests and Evangels in train. 
And by Sages and Poets along 
Was the heaven wrought chariot drawn; and the plain 
With all golden lipped instruments echoed again; 

And flute notes of shepherds, and harvesters’ strain. 
And chorus of maidens in song; 

And swelling of anthems of forest and fane. 

And music of mothers in lullaby strain. 

And laughter of childhood in sweetest refrain. 

And roll of the jubilee song. 


14 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


And with smiles of the beauty of Paradise bora. 

The angel kept time to the sound: 

With her star bedecked pinions, that glowed as the morn. 
And with rose tinted fingers, gold, flowers and corn. 

She sowed on the odorous ground. 

And with lips whose bright hues would the ruby adorn. 
She whispered beatitudes ‘round. 


And kings that loved mercy, their crowns cast before. 
And maidens their garlands did strow; 

And nobles the badges of honor they wore. 

And lords of the mountains their costliest ore. 

With palms and fair garments did throw; 


And merchants the treasures of island and shore, 

With gems and all spices that grow: 

And tillers the odorous sheaves of the floor. 

And golden haired youths cast the fruits which they bore: 

And silver locked shepherds bent low 
And their pitchers of honey and milk did outpour; 

And the wine and the oil of the husbandman’s store 
In mingled oblation did flow. 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS 


15 


And implements countless did follow in train 
The plowshare and pruning hook bright; 

The shuttle and axe; and the sheaf burdened wain. 
And chariots scythed for the gold bearded grain. 
And curious engines with lever and chain 
For progress that wrestle and smite. 


And tools of all craftsmen of Industry's band, 

All implements genius hath wrought,- 

The works of all skill of the artisan's hand. 

Of toilers in closet, on ocean and land. 

Of forgers and welders of thought- 

All textures and fabrics which Art may command. 
With beauty and usefulness fraught. 

And treasures of Painter and Sculptor, that stand 
With thoughts ever living inwrought. 


And these are the weapons the angel doth wield. 

In fixing her Kingdom on Earth; 

By the chiefs of Humanity borne thro’ the field. 

And waved to the shoutings of triumph which pealed 
From the ranks of the heroes of worth. 


16 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


And Health and Contentment walked arm within arm, 

And Progress and Plenty as well; 

Their trains bearing banners, each wrought with a charm. 
Which warded all danger and sorrow and harm. 

From dwellers of city and forest and farm. 

Who love with the angel to dwell. 

And on mid fair vineyards and harvest fields bright. 

And love lighted homesteads they go, 

By hamlets and temples and vales of delight. 

And marts of full commerce, and rivers that white 
With wealth bearing argosies flow. 

And all thro’ the limitless spaces there rolled 
Prosperity’s musical sounds, 

The lowing and bleating from pasture and fold, 

The hammer and axe from the workshop and wold. 

And thunder of flails did resound. 

And clacking of mills and the rattling of booms. 

And bellowing furnace’s blast; 

And whizzing of spindles and rushing of flumes. 

And clanking of anvils and clatter of looms. 

Did echo unceasingly past. 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


17 


And far a9 the vision could pierce thro’ the light. 

Did progress and beauty appear; 

The domes of fair palaces shone on the heights. 

And cities the glory of kingdoms lay bright, 

The plains with the homesteads of freemen were white, 
And temples of knowledge their throngs did invite. 

The lessons of wisdom to hear. 


And white wings of commerce o'er ocean waves flew. 
And island sent greetings to isle. 

On garlanded pennons whose triplicate hues 
Were those mystical colors, the Red, White, and Blue, 
And highways their iron wrought meshes knit through 
Their infinite web work the while. 


There glories outrivaling Nineveh’s prime, 
Or Babylon’s wonders of old, 
Jerusalem holy, or Karnac sublime. 

Or any, the boasted of kingdom or clime. 
Rose gorgeous in purple and gold. 


13 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


There saw I the splendors of Athens aspire, 

And Roman magnificence all; 

The works of the masters of pencil and lyre. 

And volumes that glowed with celestial fire, 

The gems of all genius redeemed from their pyre, 
Of Science delivered from thrall. 

The scrolls of the god-like in Poesy’s corps. 

The rolls of the prophet and sage- 

The treasures of science, the infinite store 
Of the heroc-s of thought and the gleaners of lore. 
The wealth of the law-giver's page; 

The pandects of wisdom’s unsearchable lore. 

The lessons of youth and of age. 

And Unity's angels did weave o’er the scene. 

A net work by seraphs designed. 

Of chords all translucent, unfelt and unseen. 

All peoples and tongues in a union serene. 
Inseparable, ever to bind. 

There basking in joy of their altars and fields. 

Sat nations triumphant around. 

And Cherubs who flaming swords ever do wield. 
Stood forth at the entrance, from danger to shield. 
And guard the delectable ground. 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


19 


And that city of nations sublime was outspread 
On a summit more glorious than all, 

And up to its places of excellence led 
The path which all peace loving nations may tread. 
Each bearing the badge of its honor outspread 
Its banner all glorious to blaze o’er its head. 

Its banner that never may fall. 

And high from the midst of the city did rise 
A cloud pillared stair that did go 
Forth up from the summit till lost in the skies. 

And angels descending in heavenlie3t guise. 

Brought gifts to the dwellers below. 

And as nations marched in with their banners of white. 
All Heaven to its uttermost bound 
Seemed opening its cloisters of glory and light 
And forth to the threshold its throngs in delight 
All hastened a greeting to sound. 

And while I the marvels around me outspread 
Did in silent amazement survey, 

A shining one near to me stood, and he said. 

The things thou hast seen in the cavern of dread 
But speak of the nations now gone to the dead. 

And those which are passing as they: 


20 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS. 


But these are the thing’s that shall come in the years. 
Which millennial glory shall crown; 

The ages foretold by the prophets and seers, 

When nations to pruning hooks fashion their spears. 

And wars be no more, with their tumults and tears, 

And the lamb with the lion lies down. 

Then all thro’ its measureless spaces more bright. 

The marvelous temple became; 

And the scenes of the pageant did swim and unite 
And dazzle and blaze with ineffable light. 

Which mocked the faint grasp of my earth given sight. 
And swallowed my spirit in flame. 

Yet near me the brightness did lessen once more. 

And shimmering, did thicken and wane 
To a nebulous lustre, around me and o’er. 

Which all thro’ the infinite ether did pour. 

Still fading and sinking, and lo! as before, 

I stood by the chieftain again; 

And thrice in a circle the baldrick he wore, 

He waved as a magical wand; 

And the red bearded stars came above, as before, 

And the winds in their circuits swept round me and o’er. 
And the waning moon stood in the south, and once more. 
The chief as a statue did stand: 


THE TWO PROCESSIONS 


21 


And alone by the statue I stood in the gloom. 

And my heart with the night bell tolled slow; 

For I thought of the land of my birth, and the tomb. 

And that path which the war torch doth only illume, 

In which war loving nations must go; 

And I moaned with the waves in the river’s dark flume. 
And I sighed with the night v/ind in burden of doom, 
And I wept with the willows in woe. 

But forth when I wandered, by river and hill, 

Aurora’s fresh splendors were thrown: 

And the morning delights all my spirit did fill. 

And I thought of the glories that dwelt on the hill, 

Where Peace hath her Heaven wrought throne; 

And I thought that my country might triumph there still 
When Unity’s angels their task should fulfill, 

And freedom and order bear rule as they will. 

And Hope as the morning light shone; 

And my heart beat in chime to the matin bell’s thrill. 
And I sang as the waves sang in river and rill. 

And I carolled for joy, with the wind’s mellow trill. 
Which played round the statue of stone. 

Charleston Illinois, 1862. 













































































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